I'm more than happy to meet you guys on the fly it will just take a couple phone calls in route to work out...I'll shoot you a pm with my number and I already gave it to Devilboi

 

ngill33- I can tell you this... the "lead-free" solder theory is a little bogus.
If fact, when it comes to temp, lead free is a better way to go because it requires a higher temp to reflow it.
So you're less likely to encounter solder connection issues with lead free as it relates to temp exposures.

Now companies (including the one I work for) have adopted the PB-Free (lead free) standard for building circuit boards and the PCB has a stamp on it indicating its lead free.
When I had me HU apart, I don't recall seeing that stamp (doesn't mean it isn't though).
Now I do have an extra HU from my '04 laying around that I could let you borrow to try out, but its a single disc player.
If my HU works fine for you, then we can look into taking the HU apart and inspecting the solder connections.

 

The 6 Disc that ngill has can be moved over to the 04 HU if I remember right. One of the things I would do before swapping the HU though is to clean all of the faceplat contacts with contact cleaner and make sure that it is tightly attached. Everyone says that it is very touchy. Question though...when you say that it takes 2 seconds to adjust the volume via the ****, is it a normal response from the wheel?

 

Thanks Jon. You've been a very busy guy lately, so I dont want to burden you with disecting a radio. Let me look at all the possibilities.

After I posted I checked the classifieds to see how much this fiasco might cost me. I found a guy in WV that said he had a radio for $30 shipped?? I shot him a PM with some questions. Seemed too good to be true, so I dont have high expectations. If I can make this problem go away for $30, hell even $100, I would jump all over it.

Would the face for the stereo you have work on my 6 disc for testing purposes? I am curious to know if its the face or the unit that is messing up.

 

You are full of wonderful ideas. Let me do some cleaning.

Yes, the wheel volume controls have a normal response time.

 

Yes John... they can be swapped...

He already mentioned taking it out and reattaching the connections.
Tarnished contacts is reaching pretty far John... especially when the HU is not exposed to the "elements".

 

So the volume control on the wheel working normally points me to the faceplate for sure.

From what I remember reading back in the day it was less about a tarnished connection. It was more about providing better flow for a connection that wasn't optimal to begin with that is now degraded even further via a less than secure connection. In some cases I bet just tightening down all the screws on a faceplate would have been more than enough to correct the issue, but since you would do that when you cleaned the connection anyway you would never know. And if you are going to get all the way in there anyway to tighten down the connection, why not take the 30 seconds to clean the contacts?

 

So if it was less about tarnished connections, why are you cleaning the contacts?
Why do I recently feel like I'm playing "Whack-O-Mole" in this thread.
I give up...

 

1) Cleaning contacts requires you to reseat the connections.
2) Cleaning contacts might remove that .0000001% of whatever that might be stopping the connection from working as intended.

Like I said...if you are going to be in there to reseat the faceplate why not take the 30 seconds to spray the connection down?

 

Like ngill33 said, "You are full of wonderful ideas"
I'll just sit back and let you take care of this one.
Why do I suddenly have Deja vu...

 

Jon - Hope you had a fun time down at the track today. The gang will be back down there again in August for the Indy race if you want to join us.

Nate - If you push on the center of your faceplate does your radio work normally?

 

I look like a cherry...the weather man is an idiot cause there were no storms at all! Oh well lapping the track was worth it all!

 

Yea...it was a bit too warm for my blood and that rain would have been a nice refreshment.

 

yeah I feel bad for all the guys who helped in the pits...damn that had to have been warm

 

Tom looked a little warm when he got back to the tent. I feel bad for the Indy guys that were helpin out on the 70 though.

 

Removed

 

I want it all...

 

Somehow after our chat yesterday Jon I'm not surprised by this. :P

 

His ears must have been ringing...I would rather have all new stuff, but if the price is right I might not be able to resist

 

Steve is a wonderful guy...in the end I expect him to be fair and reasonable with his prices...but I also expect him to get pair a reasonable price for his goods.

 

Had a very busy weekend, so I didnt get a chance to play with the radio more. I did drive my car at various times of the day though. I cannot explain it, but it works perfectly in the morning and in the evening, but during mid day it goes nuts. (sun/heat?) I put a little pressure to various areas of the face to see if it responds. It does not.

I will try to pick up the contact cleaner this evening. The $30 radio F/S was a bust.

One other theory I came up with is that I noticed a scratch in the face of the radio. I didnt remember it being there before. A far stretch but maybe the guy that installed my FM modulator pulled the unit out and slamed the face against the shifter (without the **** on), doing internal damage. ( I recently watched Sherlock Holmes)

On a side note, has anyone actually put a child's seat in the backseat of an 8? Immediate need: my godson (2 1/2 yr old) wants me to take him for a "cheebooga" at Swensons. He thinks my car is Lightning McQueen. Future need: my wife and I are expecting in Nov, so I need to make sure the 8 is baby safe.

 

You shouldn't resist. You can always buy 'new' at a later date but none of those items (except maybe my old shocks/springs) have any significant wear and the cost of shipping alone on most of those items used is going to keep you from being able to get a lot of them.

And you instantly have a car that is so much improved it'll shock you.

Now I have to go back a bit and find out why Steve is parting out.

 

There was one Indy person in our pit (the other was with the 68 car - he has cause to celebrate). Felt bad for him because this was the first time he had ever done it and only got to see one stop, but at least he only had to attend a brief orientation instead of spending most of Friday practicing, setting up and breaking down.

I was warm, but mostly I was aggravated. I was even more aggravated yesterday when I got to see the collision replayed. Bill Auberlen attempted a truly stupid outside pass in the carousel and knocked that corvette sideways right into the 70's path. He had done very similar on the last lap at VIR, but that time he was the one that got knocked out of contention.

 

Actually, I probably only put 5k miles on the suspension.

But... as for my rx8....I blew the engine... Gilbert came down for 3 days straight and we put the donor engine in the car and (eventually) it fired up... I haven't driven it yet because If I do... I know I'll talk myself into keeping it. . .

So... at the end of the day, an engine replacement cost me 108 bucks for fluids and a filter... However, the engine installed just raises more questions. Read: if this one goes, I can't afford it... So practicality is weighing on me. Regardless of what I choose to do with the 8. I still need a decent, reliable, daily driver...

The Bronco doesn't fit that bill. Its tolerable for the winter though... but it is a pain in the ***... especially now since all the door handle linkages inside the driver's door have rusted and broke forcing me to get in the Passenger door all the time.

I've put 3500 miles on the motorcycle thus far this summer which is more than I have done in two summers. Again, the bike is fun, but not meant to be my primary method of transport... and sometimes rain is unpredictable in Ohio. Jon's seen that hit me first hand.

So... My rx8 holds two roles right now... autocross & fun car... and my primary reliable car. Those two rolls don't fit. So... split the roles...

1. Get a decent daily driver that is good on gas, slow & crappy enough I won't want to mod it, has a nice long warranty, and most importantly, be decent for a long while giving me the freedom to...

2. Get a dedicated fun & autocross & maybe track car. Bronco still has the bones and brawn to tow. Miatas are cheaper to mod, tires are cheaper (mostly), and I'll finally get that convertible I've always wanted. Plus, no matter what I do on Sunday morning in a parking lot, its not a huge deal as far my daily automotive needs are concerned.

So... I have a bit of time. I want to order a 2011 grocery getter...
Top 3:
1. Kai Soul Sport
2. Ford Fiesta
3. Mazda2

 

Pics for those interested before I post to the greater forum... PM for prices

Sways, Endlinks, suspension, And my sweet greddy air diversion panel.